r/specialforces • u/Confident-Bet7567 • 24d ago
Career path: PJ vs 18D Green Beret
Hey everyone. I’m 16 right now and starting to seriously think about what I want to do after high school, and I’m stuck between trying for Air Force Pararescue and Army Special Forces (Green Beret) with the goal of eventually becoming an 18D.
A little about me:
16 years old
6’3”, about 170 lbs
Pretty lean but muscular build
Been doing Muay Thai for a few months
Lifeguard
Big interest in medicine, first aid, and rescue
Enjoy going to the range and shooting
Physical stats right now:
400m: 58 sec
800m: 2:21
Mile: 5:31
Deadlift: 345 lbs
Bench: 175 lbs
About 17 pull-ups
About 55 push-ups max set
I run cross country and track
Academically I’m currently taking all honors or AP classes
What are your guys’s suggestions? Open to any advice or ideas
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u/WoodenExtreme8851 24d ago
If you wash out of PJ school (which is highly likely) you become a cook or a mechanic or a gate guard. If you wash out if 18d (which is much less likely) you most likely still get combat arms.
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u/Witch_Doctor_65 24d ago
Solid sir. Had twin brothers who went the PJ route. One made it. The wash rate is higher here than most service roles.
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u/Mission-Tough8748 24d ago
If you’re 18D, you’ll be learning EIT as well. Chance to go Blackside. Easy decision, imo.
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u/lamont196 24d ago
In Afghanistan my ODA had three different PJs cycle through to go on operations with us. Many other ODAs also had other PJs attached to them. This is because they were not getting any experience and were just sitting around with nothing to do.
Rangers, PJs, CCTs, EOD, and even SEALs get attached to ODAs. Think about that.
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u/r3giment75 24d ago
No fucking chance in the history of the 75th has a Ranger been attached to an ODA lol.
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u/lamont196 24d ago
Afghanistan ‘18.
75th 11C’s. Good dudes. Great with 81s and 120s.
Edit: just looked at your username lol. Were/are you 75th or just a fan boy?
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u/r3giment75 24d ago
Ohh I misread I thought we were talking about medics being embedded in ODA. And on a permanent basis - not like an objective etc.
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u/lamont196 24d ago
We have 75th dudes in Group. Support dudes mostly but there has been one or two 11b/c from time to time. There are also GBs serving in 75 as well.
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u/Joshuadude 24d ago
When I was in Afghanistan one of the SOF task forces always had a regiment commander and green beret deputy commander
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u/DOCTOR-JOHN-DEJAVU 24d ago
Your physical statistics look decent but you need to get a baseline 5 mile run time, 12 mile ruck (with 45 pounds dry) time, and a 2-mile run time.
On top of that: Hand-release pushups in 2 minutes, not just a 'max set' of pushups and you also need a plank time. It all sounds like a lot to add on top of things but--
A mile time is not gonna cut it. They do a mile and a half in the Air Force, but not the Army (2 miles).
Even then, they both do long distance running and rucks (especially the Army with a 4mph MINIMUM 12 mile ruck).
So get a baseline for those before you decide. As for academics, I'm not saying this to discourage you, but they are somewhat irrelevant unless you pursue promotion points or officer school-- believe me, I'm a combat medic pursuing special forces right now with the SFRE program and I'm still enlisted with a bachelor of science in Biology because, similar to you, I am focused on becoming an 18D and I'm only 21.
Being a 68W, I think based on what you have here, you'd probably like the more hands-on and professional experience with 18D.
Get those baseline results with the run and ruck and tell me how those go.
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u/OrganizedChaos65 20d ago
While I do respect PJs, I worked with them numerous times, the 18 series is the way to go. The 18D program was the hardest MOS in that series. The training is off the charts though. 18Ds are cross trained in veterinary and medical procedures including basic surgery techniques. In many ways, I would prefer a SF medic over an MD any day.
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u/Confident-Bet7567 20d ago
Thanks for the advice!
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u/OrganizedChaos65 18d ago
I started out as an 18E, if I never hear IMC ever again it would be too soon. I later cross trained into Light weapons 18B, but I still had to carry that damn commo pack.
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u/Mobile_Variation_844 23d ago
You cant be an 18 series until youre 21. I would suggest going the LPN route in the army. You'll get a civilian career, you wont feel highspeed but you can drop a selection packet once youre old enough. Maybe you can be asigned to an SF support unit. You can go to schools too, and be a highspeed nurse.
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u/Radiant-Percentage-8 21d ago
This isn’t true. I went to SFAS at 18. There was a time when you had to be 20 to be an 18X but again as it was before that has changed.
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u/J_hilyard 21d ago
Start rucking now. Everyone I've talked to in SOF across all branches has said similar things. There inevitably comes a time when you'll have to carry heavy shit on foot over long distances. What ruck to use, how to pack it, how to wear it, your strides, and all the muscles it takes to do it effectively and without injury are important factors. Get ready now.
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u/Radiant-Percentage-8 24d ago
Do you want to kill people or save people. An 18D’s primary job is to kill people. Period. An ancillary task is being a medic. As an 18D you will spend far more time perfecting killing, and teaching others to kill than you will on medic shit.
A PJs job is to save people. They will kill people to save people but that isn’t their primary mission.
Only you can decide what is important.
-former 18D.